Our family is looking to get a bigger car than the corolla we have now, I like the Element idea, but am not sure about it's compatibility with a family of four (1 toddler, 1 infant). Looking forward to hearing some personal experience stories.

I know that the cars I have owned are not exactly what you are looking at, BUT, I had a Honda Accord that was GREAT! The car is now 15 years old and still kicking...my brother now has it. It is reliable and not overly expensive to repair if and when something does need it. I currently own a VW Passat and while it is a great car, the maintenence (higher grade fuel, synthetic oil, repairs etc..) on it has been much more than I expected... I didn't research enough ahead of time. I think Honda and VW both make great cars so I would choose one of the two of them. :O)

I own a 2005 Honda Civic and love it. I believe that most newer vehicles ask the owner to at least use midgrade gasoline. I know that my Honda asks that the owner use midgrade gasoline. I have put Regular in it but it makes the valves rattle. This is the only complaint that I have. The car gets excellent gas mileage. I calculate my gas mileage every time I fill up and have never gotten less than 30 mpg and at the best 38 mpg. The car is rooomy for a small car, however I have no children so I can't attest to their comfort. I have a friend who owns a Mazda 3 and is also very pleased with it. A couple of my friends have Elements and they too are pleased with them. To me the Element is a Civic with a different body style and options like all wheel drive. I don't know much about the VW except that they look nice. The only thing that I have ever heard bad about them is that they are more expensive to fix.

Wow these are really good choices. I think you may want to ask a few questions and see which vehicle may be the best option. I have worked in the automotive industry for about 10 years. That experience has left me changing my mind on vehicles that I once thought I's love to own. 1st How long do you plan to keep the vehicle? I ask this because as the vehicle ages you need to consider what kind of repairs you may experience, along with what the cost associated. All three vehicles are pricey to do repairs on, the Honda being the cheapest. VW will probably cost you the most, if repairs are needed. My wife owned a Mazda once, and we found it to be difficult, and expensive to repair. My last vehicle was a Honda, and I was very satisfied with the maitenance of the vehicle.
2nd, consider what the function of the vehicle is going to be. My wife and I were forced to sell my Honda since our family outgrew the capacity.

I just traded in my Honda Civic, and it was a great, great car. I had a 1998 model, and I drove it for 7 years. The gas mileage was great, it was very dependable, and it retained it's value. Good luck with your search!

Thanks for the comments! We currently have a VW Beetle and LOVE IT but it is much more expensive to repair. Since we plan to keep this new car a good long time, we're thinking another VW is a bad idea, although I think they look the sharpest. The Mazda was a bit small, however I LOVED the trunk space for a small car. The Civic is a good choice I think, although my husband and I do a lot of outdoor activities, i.e snowboarding, canoeing, backpacking, so we're leaning towards the Element even though the gas isn't so fabulous.

As for an Element with kids, I don't think I would mind having this as a family car with a couple kids. It has an amazing safety rating. Five Stars. And the fact that both doors open up means lots of room for getting children in and out of the car.